Dancing with the Devil || Book 2

10

Ken dropped Sophia back to work then brought Nicole home from school. She ran over to me instantly.

"Diya what's wrong?" She sadly looked at my bandaged foot, giving me a big hug.

"Aw Nikki I'm fine. It's like a little cut but it just hurts when I walk"

Nicole nodded silently.

"Where's my father?"

I laughed at how formal her and Theo were. They could be very affectionate towards each other so I wondered why she always referred to him as father.

"Don't you mean dad?" I questioned.

She shrugged carelessly. "Father says that 'father' is more proper and mature teens say it."

"That's not true. I say dad"

"Well you aren't a teen. You're old"

I scoffed at her comment.

"Yeah?" I asked, chucking a pillow at a laughing Nicole. She ran upstairs with her backpack.

"You're lucky I can't run- and if we're getting technical, you're not a teen either!" I jokingly yelled.

Ken returned from the kitchen with a phone up to his ear.

"Bye, see you then"

He clicked the phone off and flopped beside me. I was scrolling through tv channels bored.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"I called the chef so that we all could have one big dinner tonight before Athello leaves."

"Really?" My face lit up.

"Wait. Did you ask Theo yet or are you just feeding me lies?" I crossed my arms.

"Well er he didn't say yes to it yet but why wouldn't he? He'll be gone for a week and-"

"Ken honey. He is too busy. I'm sure he'll change soon but not that soon" I mumbled the last part, continuing to scroll through channels.

Ken squinted his eyes then went back into the kitchen to make another phone call. It was probably to Theo but I didn't even have to hear the call to know how it would go. He has to prep for the Cambridge plan and that requires a lot of strategy. I couldn't be mad about it but it definitely made me sad. I just missed him. It felt like there was such a wall between us. After a couple of minutes, Ken returned.

"Welp I called him"

"Andddd?"

"He said he actually had to last minute change the flight for tonight. He's on his way now to pack."